Flying decoy



2g, i936, W, T SHAW Zg@ FLYING DECOY Filed April 2, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INV NTOR K s v ATTOR N EY Jam. 2%. El. W. T. 5MM

FLYING DECOY Filed April 2, 1935 2 Sheets s i 2 www.

:MENTON n r a ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The invention relates to an animate duck decoy and more especially to a flying decoy.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a decoy of this character, wherein the same has wings susceptible of ight action so that by suspending the decoy from a trolley line the said decoy will have the appearance of alive duck and the same can be conveniently set on the water or made to leave the water at the option of a hunter, it being always headed in the direction of natural flight and possesses a natural appearance in all positions.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a decoy of this character, wherein the same can be taken apart and carried with other decoys, it being conveniently set up on the water as other decoys and eliminates the handling of a live flier which only gives one ight and creates a disturbance when returning to a blind.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a decoy of this character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and eiiicient in its operation, durable, imitative of a natural 0r live duck and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be described, illustrated in the .accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a pictorial illustration fragmentarily of a body of water and a shore, showing a decoy constructed in accordance with the invention in full lines about to be set in flight and in dotted lines, in oating position.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the decoy retrieved or pulled inland.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the decoy.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line li-4 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the body of the decoy.

Figure 6 is a plan View looking toward the inner face of one of the wings of the decoy.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the hinge link for one of the wings of the decoy.

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 4.`

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates generally a trolley rigging including a trolley line I0 having its ends detachably secured by eye fasteners II to vertical stakes or posts I2 and I3, respectively, these being driven into the soil for anchorage therein, the post I2 being located at shore I4 and the post I3 in the body of water I5. The posts I2 and I3 are set with relation to each other so that the line I il inclines offshore in direction to the body of water I5 and is of the required height from the surface of the L Water and the shore surface. These posts or stakes l2 and I3 are held rigid by tie wires or cables I 8 and anchoring pins I respectively.

Adapted to be suspended from the line I l of the trolley rigging is the flying decoy which comprises 1,- a body I8 and head I9, these being imitative of a natural or live duck and the head having the pose of a natural or live duck eating. At each side of vthe body I 8 is a hinge link 2D carrying a clip 2| of wedge shape for the insertion of a correspond- 20 ingly shaped cleat 22 xed to the under side of a wing section 23, this being imitative of the natural wing of a duck species and in extended position for night action. Each wing 23 is readily separable by disengaging the cleat 22 from the 25 clip 2I of the link 20. The link 20 has its hinge axle 24 journaled in bearings 25 carried by the body I8. Movably tted upon the trolley line I0 is a carriage 28 having journaled therein the trolley pulley 2'I and fitted with a cross bar 28 30 to which are connected actuator strings 29 at opposite ends thereof. These strings are trained through guide eyes 30 at opposite sides of the body I8 and through selected holes 3| in the inner end of the wings 23 so that by the rise and fall of the body I8 the said wings 23 will automatically operate for ight action or imitate iiying activity of a duck. On the body I8 of the decoy at the back thereof and considerably fore of the same is a fastener 32 to which is connected a pull cable or retrieving line 33 the same being trained through a guide pulley 34 upon the stake or post I2 and its free end can be suitably tied to this stake or post. In the delivering of the decoy to the body of water I5 it is to be assumed that the carriage 26 is at the higher point of the trolley line I0 or that position shown in Figure 1 by full lines so that the said trolley when the line 33 is loose will travel in the direction of the lower end of the trolley line IIJ to have the decoy settle upon the body of water I5 and during the travel of the carriage the wings 23 of the decoy will have night action simulating a natural or live duck and the head I9 of the duck will be leading in the direction of iiight. Now, when it is desired to retrieve or pull in the decoy from the body of Water I5 a user or operator pulls upon the cable or line 33 this causing the decoy to turnwith the head I9 facing shore direction and in this turning movement the cords 29 cross each other Vas'shovvn in Figure 4 of the drawings thus raising Ythe appearance of a duck feeding or in resting` position.

Of course,

duck.

it is understood that the body, head.V and Wings of the decoy are suitablyr painted orA otherwise decorated to imitate anatural or lvef It is, of course, to be understood that two or more decoys maybe used (on the same trolley line and same retrieving line and this being eiected in any desirable manner consistent with the struc-Y tural makeup of the invention.

What is claimed is:

f A decoy of the character described,Y comprisingV a body having a head, wing sections, means Vswingingly andY detachably Y*connecting the WingV sections to the body,.

same to flight position, meansV for removably mounting the suspension means and directing the body to floating position upon the Water and means'l for returning the body to shore and active for changing the position of the body to have the head' in' Hight direction.

WILLIAM THOMAS sHAY.

suspension means connected 1g with; the- Wing sections and adapted to bring the 

